Handles for luggage



1963 A. EISENMANN HANDLES FOR LUGGAGE Filed Dec. 5. 1961 WZM ///$ Irv/Maya.

Unite =11 l ldii-il? Nov. 12, 1953 My invention relates to novel and useful improvements in handles for luggage and has for its object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly efiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

Among the several objects of this invention is to provide a luggage handle comprising a handle body of substantial rigidity and having associated therewith a cushion member extending beneath the lower edge of the handle so as to be disposed between the hand of the person carrying the luggage and the bight portion of the handle, to give protection and comfort to the person carrying the luggage.

ther objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

PEG. 2 is an elevational view of the cushioning member embodied in the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail View taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

PEG. 4 is a perspective view of parts of the handle showing the same in exploded relation.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form or" construction shown in the accompanying drawings and now to be described.

In this connection, my improved luggage handle is in the form of a single blank of material iii. Such blank it) comprises web portions ll integrally connecting the end portions 12 of handle sections 13. Each handle section 13 is substantially U-shaped in plan view, as best seen in FIG. 4, and is substantially concave in cross section.

The web portions 11 are adapted to be folded upon themselves to dispose the handle sections 13 with their edge portions 14 in abutting relation with respect to each other. Prior to this folding of the blank, the outer surface of the handle sections 13 are covered by a flexible cover 34- which may be leather, plastic or other suitable material. The edge portions 15 of such covering are turned into the handle sections and the entire covering, including the inturned portions, may be adhesively secured to the handle sections. The handle sections 13 may be formed of metal or other comparable material.

Disposed between the handle sections 13 is a filler strip 16 which may be formed of cardboard, fiberboard, leather, or other comparable and suitable material. The edge portion 17 of the filler strip 16 extends beyond the outer abutting edges 14 of the handle sections 33. The edge portions 13 of the cover material are secured to the edge portions 17 of the filler strip 16 by stitching l9. Secured to the tiller strip 16 along its lower edge portion it) is a cushioning member 21 which in the preferred form of construction is an elongated piece of foam rubber, circular in cross section. Any compressible form of material may be used in lieu of foam rubber.

This cushioning member 21 is secured to the filler strip 16 by extending therearound a covering strip 22, the corresponding edge portions 2-3 of which are secured by adhesive or other suitable means to the edge 2%) of the filler strip 16. When the filler strip is mounted between the handle sections 13, it will be disposed beneath and in contact with the lower edge of the handle, as shown in H63. 1 and 3. in this position, whenever the handle is grasped by the hand of the carrier, the cushionin-g member 21 will be engaged by the fingers gripping the handl and being of a compressible nature it will be compressed under the weight of the luggage being carried. in thi" way the hand of the person carrying the luggage is protected from discomfort and possible injury.

When no filler strip 1? is used the handle construction, the covering of the cushioning member 21 maybe clamped between the handle sections 13 when the blank is folded to form the handle. in such case, the edges of the covering 22 will be positioned in overlapping position thereupon, thereby to securely hold the covering member in place.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided an improvement in a luggage handle which is extremely useful for the purpose herein stated.

As the luggage handle embodying my invention, other than the cushioning member, is of substantial rigidity, it will be apparent that the positioning of the cushioning member beneath the edge of the handle which normally contacts the fingers of the hand, will serve to protect the hand from discomfort as v ell as possible injury.

My luggage handle may be manufactured at an economical cost and made of such material as Will best serve the purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing fro-tn the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A luggage handle comprising (a) a substantially elongated fiat tiller strip formed substantially U-shaped in plan View to provide a i ht portion with parallel lateral extensions at the opposite ends of the bight portion,

(b) a cushioning member positioned along an edge of the bight portion between said lateral extensions,

(0) a flexible cover folded to enclose said cushioning member and having its opposite long edge portions overlapping the edge portion of said bight portion between said lateral extensions and adhesively secured to the bight portion,

(d) and a handle formed to provide confronting U- shaped sections disposed to enclose said filler strip and having long edges clamping the overlapping edge portions of said cover therebetween and against the filler strip.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,879 Cichowicz Mar. 10, 1936 2,274,605 Hoifmeister Feb. 24, 1942 2,519,604 Romolt Aug. 22, 1950 3,023,868 Koffier Mar. 6, 1962 

